SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
SENATE, No. 720
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MAY 18, 2023
The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably Senate Bill No.
720.
Under current law, cyber-harassment is a crime of the third degree
if the offender is 21 years of age or older at the time of the offense and
impersonates a minor for the purpose of cyber-harassing a minor. This
bill broadens the statute regarding the cyber-harassment of a minor by
providing that a person is guilty of this third-degree crime if the person
is 18 years of age or older and engages in any form of cyber-
harassment of a minor. The bill eliminates the provision that the adult
actor also impersonate a minor in order to be guilty of the crime.
A crime of the third degree is punishable by a term of
imprisonment of three to five years, a fine of up to $15,000, or both.
This bill was prefiled for introduction in the 2022-2023 session
pending technical review. As reported, the bill includes the changes
required by technical review, which has been performed.